Territory



(No Model.) 7

W. P. GRAY.

LIFE PRESERVER HOLDER.

Patented May 8, 1883.

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N. PETERS, Phato-Lilhegaphur. Wax

life-preservers.

UNITED STATES PATENT, FFICEQ.

WILLIAM P. GRAY, OF AINSWORTH, WASHINGTON TERBlTORY.

LIFE-PRESERVER HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 277,269, dated May 8, 1883. Application filed September 20, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. GRAY, of Ainsworth, in the county of Whitman,Washington Territory, have invented a new and Improved Life-Preserver Holder, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved device for holding life-preservers, from which device the life-preservers can be released and permitted to drop upon deck very rapidly.

The invention consists in frames or gates hinged to the ceiling-beams of a vessel, on which frames the life-preservers rest.

The invention also consists in the combination, with the above-mentioned swinging gates or frames, of bolts and a sliding springbar, provided with cam projections for unlocking the gates, which then swing downward and drop the life-preservers onthe deck below.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate cor responding parts in both the figures.

Figure l is a plan view of the under side of my improved life-preserver holder. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation of the same.

Life-preservers are generally placed between strips attached to the ceilings of steam-vessels, 870., and are held in place by strips of wood, or by wires passing under them. In many cases the passengers cannot reach the life-preservers, or in removing the life-preservers they tear the belts, cords, &c. I place thelife-preservers A between the beams B of the floor above-that is, between the ceilingbeams-and divide the spaces between the ceiling-beams into smaller or larger compartments by means of transverse beams 0, each compartment containing about from three to six Each section thus formed is provided with a downwardly-swinging frame or gate, D, which is hinged to the lower edge of one of the beams B. At the free or swinging end each gate or frame D is provided with a recess adapted to receive a transverse sliding bolt, E, in the opposite beam, B, which bolt E is bent upward at its outer end to hold an anti-friction roller, F. A bar, G, provided with acam projection, H, for each bolt E, passes under the bent ends of the bolts E, and by a spring, J, acting on the bar G, the cam pro jections H will be moved from the outer ends of the bolts E. Check-studs K prevent these cam projections from being withdrawn too far. A cord or wire, 1., attachedto the bar G, passes to some place where it can easily be grasped by an officer or deck hand. The swinging gates or frames 1) can be made any desired shape, but arepreferably made triangular, as with this construction they can be made very light. If, in case of an accident, the passengers are to be provided with life preservers, the commanding officer, or some other competent person, pulls on the cord L, thereby draw ing the bar G in the direction of the arrow'ai. The cam projections H pass under the bent ends of the bolts, thereby withdrawing the ends of the bolts from the ends ot the gates or frames D, which are thus permitted to swing downward. As the life-preservers rest on the frames D, they will drop down as soon as the gates or frames swing downward. The cords L of the several parts of a deck can be pulled simultaneously, so that all life-preservers drop together, or the life-preservers between each two beams thatis, in a series of com partmen ts formed by beams B and G-can be dropped; then those of the next section can be dropped, and so on, as may be desired. The life-preservers will not be injured, and can be brought within reach of the passengers very easily and at once.

Wires or cords L can be attached to each bolt E, as shown at L in Fig. 2, so that the swinging gates D may be let down singly, if it should be desirable so to do.

Having thus fully described myinvenlion, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent l. The combination, with gates D, beams B,

and a number of bolts, E, having a horizontal projection at the upper end and passing through vertical holes in the gates D and beams B, of a spring-held slide-bar, Gr, having at intervals a cam projection, H, for each bolt, and arranged to work under the upper end bend of hook, whereby the bolts may be simultaneously lifted out of the gates, as described.

2. A bolt, E, having a head formed by two right-angled bends at the upper end, and a friction-roll, F, journaled in the parallel bearings thus formed therein, in combination with the beams B and sliding cam-bar, whereby said bolt may be readily lifted without unnecessary friction, as described.

3. The combination, with the beams B, of the swinging gates or frames D, the bolts E, and the bar G, provided with cam projections H, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with the beams B, of the swinging gates or frames D, the bolts E, the bar G, provided with cam projections H, and the cord or Wire L for moving the bar G to Withdraw the bolts, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set Is provided with cam projection H, substantially 20 as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM P. GRAY.

Witnesses:

A. E. DAVIS, M. V; HARPER. 

